Any chance of Austin Petersen upsetting Gary Johnson in this weekends Libertarian convention? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to break apart the two party control on elections. I think Austin Petersen would have a chance at building a winning coalition. Gary Johnson, not so much. I'll come back to this thread after this weekend when the Libertarians pick their candidate. If Petersen wins, I'll expand on why I would support him and why I think he could win.

Any chance of Austin Petersen upsetting Gary Johnson in this weekends Libertarian convention? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to break apart the two party control on elections. I think Austin Petersen would have a chance at building a winning coalition. Gary Johnson, not so much. I'll come back to this thread after this weekend when the Libertarians pick their candidate. If Petersen wins, I'll expand on why I would support him and why I think he could win.

This is by far the most disheartening and frankly terrifying election in my life time. I'm not generally particularly sympathetic to some elements of the Libertarian cause, nor am I very familiar with the current party luminaries.Under the circumstances, however, if they offer a viable alternative, maybe I'll bite.

Joined: 06 Jan 2008 | Posts: 1749 | Location: Dallas

wilsmithVintage Newbie

Post subject: Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 10:30 am

^ +1

Looking at his site and proposed platform, he seems to be taking a no frills common sense approach. http://austinpetersen2016.com/platform/ I do have some bones of contention when it come to matters of public health and overall quality of life being determined by market factors that go unregulated. There are a few aspects of his policy that seem to facilitate a continued oligarchy, with a minimization of the federal government as the middle man in the process as the key change in the current status quo._________________yup, that's my name.

Well, Gary Johnson won the nomination. So I voted to early in this poll. Change me to other/none. Hopefully Other http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/kristol-independent-candidate-will-c hallenge-trump-and-clinton/article/2592566
Those who think #NeverTrump will fade after the Republican convention are wrong. This election is shaping up to be more like 1824 (John Quincy Adams won a 4 person race with 30.9% of the popular vote, the house of representatives chose him after nobody got a majority of the electoral college votes) than it is 1992 (Bill Clinton won 370 electoral college votes in a 3 person race with 43% of the popular vote). Sanders supporters could split between Gary Johnson and Hillary Clinton, Cruz/Rubio supporters could go all in for the fourth option Bill Kristol is talking about in certain states. Hillary could be indited still. If so, and if the democrats parachute in Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren at their convention instead of going with Sanders, expect a political schism in both major parties. Heck, certain Republicans are still talking about a "Nuclear Option" at the Republican convention (in which the rules committee votes to unbind as many delegates as possible on the first ballot, allow someone, most likely Ted Cruz, to walk out of Cleveland with the nomination). And the left may have a schism without a parachuted in nominee if Bernie runs third party (despite some states having sore loser laws not allowing someone who ran as a Democrat or Republican in the primaries to run third party, enough states do not have that law that Bernie could still see a path forward in a 5 person race, and may chose to run).
I see Jonah Goldberg putting forth the 4 or 5 person race scenario. Here was his take: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-goldberg-bernie-four-way-ra ce-20160524-snap-story.html

Joined: 17 Dec 2005 | Posts: 7523 | Location: Wisconsin

johnipVintage Newbie

Post subject: Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 4:23 pm

My pick.

_________________

Joined: 26 Jan 2006 | Posts: 2591 | Location: GA

noradVintage Newbie

Post subject: Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 11:50 pm

F*** Hilary.

Joined: 12 Jun 2005 | Posts: 20734 |

CUBSWINWORLDSERIESVintage Newbie

Post subject: Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 12:34 pm

Well, I guess we now know why Jonah Goldberg was pushing the idea of a 4 or 5 person race like 1824, being decided by the House of Representatives. He is senior editor of National Review. And the 3rd party person being floated is David French, who writes for National Review. I don't know if David French has a chance, or even if he will run, but here is some info over at NPR on this http://www.npr.org/2016/06/02/480397599/supporters-encourage-david-fre nch-to-run-in-a-third-party-campaign
As for third party runs, one needs to get signatures in each state and file by the state deadline to be placed on the ballot in that state. Only Texas and North Carolina have the deadline already done. Illiinois, Indiana and New Mexico are in late June. All other states are in July, August or September. And if one really wanted to get on the ballot in Texas or North Carolina, those states might allow late filing if done soon to avoid having to litigate it (as was done all the way to the Supreme Court in Anderson v. Celebrezze, though the Supreme Court didn't rule on that one until a couple years after the election when it didn't matter anymore to Anderson, they did find in John Anderson's favor). Signatures requirements vary by state, as low as 275 signatures in Tennessee (which happens to be David French's home state), to as high as 178,039 in California. Total for all states around 900,000 signatures.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that this election cycle has been engineered to instill enough resentment & apathy in the politically engaged members of the electorate that they will willingly accept another form of government altogether, maybe even a corporate autocracy.

I can see it now, a country run by Google, Amazon, Walmart, and Facebook._________________yup, that's my name.

Problem is that it'd be Halliburton, Goldman Sachs, Exxon, and Koch Industries.

Oh wait..._________________

Joined: 26 Jan 2006 | Posts: 2591 | Location: GA

freakinalexLost at Forum

Post subject: Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 9:02 am

Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos!_________________Do I even need a signature anymore?

Joined: 02 Jul 2008 | Posts: 1403 | Location: Texas

mr pineVintage Newbie

Post subject: Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:59 pm

ive been libertarian for about 8 or so years now. i have been working with a few people at my church on getting signatures so they libertarian candidate will show on the illinois ballot.
and we are also working on getting an LP headquarters set up here in our county.

i feel, now more than ever, more people are looking for an alternative to the two major parties.

it saddens me, when i see recent polls showing hilary winning with 40 percent of the vote
that means 60 percent of the population doesnt want her, and yet, she would win, technically.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that this election cycle has been engineered to instill enough resentment & apathy in the politically engaged members of the electorate that they will willingly accept another form of government altogether, maybe even a corporate autocracy.

I can see it now, a country run by Google, Amazon, Walmart, and Facebook.

This was my thought last night, after the failed coup in Turkey. Starting to feel very cynical about the whole thing, honestly._________________